Taipei: Taiwan’s World No. 2 men’s singles player Chou Tien Chen needed only 31 minutes to outlast World No. 38 Sourabh Verma in the second round of Chinese Taipei Open on Thursday.
Chou was actually forced to dig deep in the first round before Suppanyu Avihingsanon of Thailand retired in the decider due to a right ankle sprain.
“I had better control on the court and that’s the key to my win today,” said Chou.
Chou will face Cheam June Wei of Malaysia on Friday.
Meanwhile, last year’s defending champion Lee Zii Jia was sent packing by Shesar Hiren Rhustavito of Indonesia, losing 16-21, 20-22.
“The gap between all men’s singles players is very small. Whoever that play the best will win the game,” said Lee after the match.
In addition to men’s singles, Malaysia has two men’s doubles pairs qualified for the quarter-finals.
No. 3 seeds Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik who were trying to find their way out of a slump in form, eased past Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pangkaryanira/Ade Yusuf Santoso of Indonesia 21-17, 21-15 to meet Choi Solgyu/Seo Seung Jae of Korea next.
The Rio Olympic silver medalists Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong also cruised into the last eight by defeating Danny Bawa Chrisnanta/Loh Kean Hean 15-21, 21-18, 21-13, setting up a blockbuster fight with Korea’s Lee Yong Dae/Kim Gi Jung in the quarter-finals.
In a supposedly one-sided affair, the mixed doubles World No. 5 Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying were dragged into rubber-set, before escaping the spirited challenge from World No. 55 Do Tuan Duc/Pham Nhu Thao of Vietnam 21-17, 19-21, 21-17.
Chan/Goh will face World No. 18 Rinov Rivaldy/Pitha Haningtyas Mentari of Indonesia next.
